Flanders 1478 2 briquet
The first specimen was lot 1231 in Jean Elsen sale 146 (Brussels, November 2020), where it sold for €280 (about US$408 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[1] noted,
"VLAANDEREN, Graafschap, Maria van Bourgondië (1477-1482), AR dubbel vuurijzer, 1478, Brugge. Zonder muntteken. Vz/ Vuurijzer tussen twee tegenover elkaar zittende leeuwen. Kz/ Bourgondisch wapenschild op een gebloemd kruis. Zeer Fraai. (county of Flanders, Maria of Burgundy, 1477-82, silver double stuiver of 1478, Bruges mint. Obverse: firesteel over two seated lions facing each other; reverse: Burgundian arms over a floriate cross. Very Fine.)"
The second specimen was lot 1032 in Jean Elsen sale 159 (Brussels, June 2024), where it sold for €160 (about US$206 including buyer's fees). The catalog description[2] noted,
"VLAANDEREN, Graafschap, Maria van Bourgondië (1477-1482), AR dubbel vuurijzer, 1478, Brugge. Zonder muntteken. Vz/ Vuurijzer tussen twee tegenover elkaar zittende leeuwen. Kz/ Bourgondisch wapenschild op een gebloemd kruis. bijna Zeer Fraai. (county of Flanders, Mary of Burgundy, 1477-82, silver double briquet of 1478, Bruges mint, without mintmark. Obverse: firesteel over two seated lions facing each other; reverse: Burgundian arms over a floriate cross. About very fine.)"
Maria was the daughter of Charles the Rash and the heiress to his domain between France and Germany. She was duchess of Burgundy, Brabant, Limburg, Luxemburg and Guelders and countess of Flanders, Artois, Hainaut, Holland, Zeeland, Namur and Zutphen and the most desirable match of her day. She married Maximilian of Hapsburg to keep her lands out of the hands of Louis XI of France but died in 1482 at the age of 25.
Recorded mintage: est. 2,894,760.
Specification: 3.06 g, 0.799 fine silver, the first specimen 3,06 g, the second specimen 2,95 g.
Catalog reference: G.H. 39-3b; VH 55; Levinson II-34.
- Levinson, Robert, The Early Dated Coins of Europe, 1234-1500: An Illustrated Catalogue and Guide to dated medieval coinage. Clifton, NJ: Coin & Currency Institute, 2007.
- van Gelder, H. Enno, and Marcel Hoc, Les Monnaies des pays-Bas Bourguignons et Espagnols, 1434-1713, Amsterdam, J. Schulman, 1960, with supplement of 1964.
- [1]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 146: Collection Anthony Lorrain Monnaies de Metz, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2020.
- [2]Elsen, Philippe, et al., Vente Publique 159, Collection Harry Dewit, Brussels: Jean Elsen et ses Fils S.A., 2024.
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